excerpted from the TELECOM Digest archives at
http://massis.lcs.mit.edu/archives/back.issues/1981-86.volumes.1-5/vol2.iss001-088
...
17-Mar-82 19:45:11-PST,10084;000000000000
Mail-From: JSOL created at 17-Mar-82 19:44:12
Date: 17 Mar 1982 1944-PST
From: Jon Solomon
Subject: TELECOM Digest V2 #33
Sender: JSOL at USC-ECLB
To: TELECOM: ;
Reply-To: TELECOM at USC-ECLB
TELECOM AM Digest Thursday, 18 Mar 1982 Volume 2 : Issue 33
Today's Topics:
Technology For Tomorrow - New Products Available Today
"Unbelievable" Answering Machine Feature
Try Sending A Telegram These Days
Comparison of Long Distance Alternative Services - ITT, MCI, SPRINT
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Date: 17 Mar 1982 0025-PST
Sender: GEOFF at SRI-CSL
Subject: Real World services for the Technological Elite.
From: the tty of Geoffrey S. Goodfellow
Reply-To: Geoff at SRI-CSL
"Go out and see what the real world as to offer."
-Gerry Todd, SCTV
I did, and here are two spiffy services you can get:
1) Electronic Mail for people on the move . . .
For the lucky residents of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Greater
Los Angeles area, you can get a device called a MetaGram Receiver
(MR-80), which is, for the most part, a `Digital Pager'. An MR-80 (in
the process of being trademarked as `THE MESSENGER') allows you to:
. Receive & store one or more messages up to a total of
940 characters in length --and selectively read, reread,
or delete these messages.
. Take your MetaGram receiver anywhere [I have mine
clipped onto my belt most of the time] because it is
small 6.5" x 1.5" x 2.75", lightweight 10 oz., and
battery operated. [operates for 18 hours and then
requires 6 hours charge -- unit remains fully
operational while its being charged.]
. The MetaGram Receiver can alert you by choice of
flashing display (great for getting confidential
messages passed to you in meetings), beep and/or
vibrating action.
. You can have messages sent to you at anytime by simply
calling (via an 800 IN-WATS #) a dispatcher [for those
without a terminal and modem], or by dialing local
numbers all over the Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles
area and typing in the messages yourself.
. You can receive messages in any city in which this
service exists. [I receive messages both in LA and SF
areas with my unit].
. There is a hardcopy printer option which you can slide
your unit into, and get automatic printout when msgs
come in.
The MR-80 has a 20 char wide LED display which shows msgs line by
line. You can freeze a frame in the display [handy for reeling off
numbers to the mobile operator when driving and placing a call from
your car phone]. The MetaNet system also sends out periodic msgs to
all units about every 2 minutes, and if you miss two of these periodic
`watchdog' msgs, your unit lets you know you're out of range.
An ARPANET to MetaNet Gateway exists (and an improved version is under
development), which allows ARPANET users to send msgs to people on the
MetaNet without having to run and find a terminal with a modem on it
or go thru the human dispatcher.
I.e. so you can now do fun things like be driving down the road and
have a message appear that says: [YOU HAVE NEW MAIL].
The service itself costs $60/mo, and that includes 4000 characters
worth of traffic. Traffic above the 4000 characters is a half-a-cent
a character. There currently is no different between self-dispatched
msgs and msgs send via the human dispatcher.
Further information available from LIGHTNING COMMUNICATIONS, 6173
Purple Sage Court, San Jose, CA 95119 or via the phone: 408/354-1226.
....